Religious Education Curriculum
‘I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.’ John 10:10
In line with our Christian vision, we are committed to providing high quality RE provision that enables all pupils to flourish. At St Philip Westbrook Voluntary Aided Primary School, Religious Education will support children in developing their own beliefs, values and attitudes through an exploration of shared human experience and the place and significance of Christianity and other religions in the contemporary world; there is an emphasis on Anglican beliefs, practices and traditions.
Through the teaching of RE, we seek to enable each child to develop their own relationship with God, should they wish to do so, and be given an insight into what it means to be a person of faith. We also want children from different faith backgrounds to be encouraged in their faith.
What does the curriculum for the subject aim to achieve?
- The aims of Religious Education in our school are in line with RE Statement of Entitlement: The Church of England Education Office 2016:
- To enable pupils to know about and understand Christianity as a living faith that influences the lives of people worldwide and as the religion that has most shaped British culture and heritage.
- To enable pupils to know and understand about other major world religions and world views, their impact on society, culture and the wider world, enabling pupils to express ideas and insights.
- To contribute to the development of pupils’ own spiritual/philosophical convictions, exploring and enriching their own beliefs and values.
- To provide our children with a balance between the three disciplines of theological understanding, philosophical thinking and sociological application.
- Appropriate to age at the end of their education in Church schools, the expectation is that all pupils are religiously literate and, as a minimum, pupils are able to:
- Hold balanced and well-informed conversations about religion and beliefs.
- Give a theologically informed and thoughtful account of Christianity as a living and diverse faith.
- Show an informed and respectful attitude to religions and world views in their search for God and meaning.
- Engage in meaningful and informed dialogue with those of other faiths and none.
- Reflect critically and responsibly on their own spiritual, philosophical and ethical convictions
Religious Education in our school helps pupils to:
- reflect theologically and explore the ultimate questions and challenges of life in today’s society;
- reflect critically on the truth claims of Christian belief;
- see how the truth of Christianity is relevant today;
- develop the skills to handle the Bible text and critically and personally engage with it;
- begin to develop their own commitments, beliefs and values;
- develop a sense of themselves as significant, unique and precious;
- experience the breadth and variety of the Christian community;
- engage in thoughtful dialogue about other faiths and traditions;
- understand how religious faith can sustain believers in difficult circumstances and in the face of opposition
- understand how Christian values can be applied to our daily lives.
Our scheme is designed to develop three key areas of religious education which are – theological understanding, philosophical thinking and sociological application.
Theological Understanding (Believing)
According to the Church of England, “This is about believing. It looks at where beliefs come from, how they have changed over time, how they are applied differently in different contexts and how they relate to each other.”
Put simply, knowledge of Bible stories and beliefs stemming from them.
Philosophical Thinking (Thinking)
According to the Church of England, “This is about thinking. It is about finding out how and whether things make sense. It deals with questions of morality and ethics.
Put simply, the way the children think about the world around them in terms of religion and spirituality.
Sociological Application (Living)
According to the Church of England, “This is about living. It explores the diverse ways in which people practise their beliefs. It engages with the impact of beliefs on individuals, communities and societies.”
Put simply, reflecting on how beliefs and values are lived out in our society by people of faith and the children.